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In Mahabharat, Karna was the son of Lord Sun. The Sun has given him Kavach (Breastplate Armor) & Kundal (Ear-rings) to protect him. This Kavach & Kundal were attached to his body. As long as this Kavach & Kundal were protecting Karna, no weapon could harm him.

Karna has a habit of giving donation daily after the giving ardhya to Sun in the morning. When the Mahabharata's fight was about to begin, Indra went to Karna and asked for his Kavach & Kundal. Karna gave his Kavach & Kundal to Indra.

But then, What Indra did with Kavach & Kundal?

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    and as it was the form of lord Surya's ashish to Karna it as consumed by lord Surya as every object of lord gets laya in lord himself
    – Yogi
    Jul 22, 2014 at 10:37
  • After Indra got it , he gave the kavach to Krishna Jul 3, 2015 at 14:27
  • @PRASHANTHSRIRAM and Creator, it would be nice if you could cite a source for your answers, would help us ensure that it doesn't become a matter of just speculation and guesswork.
    – Sundar R
    Jul 3, 2015 at 14:59
  • Namaste The kavach & kundalu are symbolic astral protection, they are not physical objects of protection, though in comics and books it shown as physical objects given away in alms to Lord Indra. Hence, astral protection, once "given away" they get dissolved in cosmic energy and those cannot be reused.
    – Annonymous
    Jul 27, 2015 at 9:51
  • My point of view in mahabharat gatha there is nothing written that indra gave a kavach to krishna ....and the karna kavach is so hot..that it cannot take stay in swarg so ....i wnt to know point of view of other on this topic
    – user3846
    Oct 1, 2015 at 13:14

1 Answer 1

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The fate of Kavach and the Kundal in uncertain as there is no information regarding them after its acquisition by Indra.

But there are more than one answers (actually beliefs) at different places.

  1. Kavach and Kundal are considered a part of Surya and due to its heat, cannot be touched by anybody. So it must have been returned to Surya

  2. Indra could have given it to Krishna as it was Krishna who tells Indra to take the Kavach and Kundal from Karna to protect his (Indra's) son Arjuna.

  3. Some also say that they were a part of the Devaloka's devine armoury and so had to be returned back to the armoury.

  4. Another story says that Karna was a demon in Satya Yuga called as Sahasra Kavach and had thousand such kavachs. To kill him Nara and Narayana found that Himalays could generate enough energy. So each day one of them would meditate & the other would challenge and fight with Sahasra Kavach and break the top kavach, changing their roles next day. It continued till Sahasra Kavach was left with only one kavach. At that point Sahasra Kavach escaped to Surya & took shelter there, thus abndoning his kshatriya traits. At the time of Mahabharata (Dwapara yuga), Karna was born in kshatriya clan but had to live as shudra as in his previous life he had abandon his kshatriya traits. Since times had changed that one Kavach from his previous incarnation became indestructible & it was not possible in Dwapara Yuga to generate enough energy to destroy it. Though it was taken away by Indra, he had to hide them back at the Himalayas due to energy constraints.

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  • Sorry, these stories are based on what people from different parts of India told me. Even I am confused with which one to believe. But the fourth story's first part comes in the Padma Purana. Apr 5, 2018 at 14:19
  • We don't entertain answers without references or citations. Personal experiences are not considered sources. When you say "some say", you should add who and where you heard also.Again my friend said, my aunt said are not we expect. Apr 5, 2018 at 17:56

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